Christopher Benson (abt. 1760 - 1840)

Born about 6 Jun 1760 in New York Colony [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 20 Sep 1840 at about age 80 in Granville Centre, Annapolis, Nova Scotia [uncertain]

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Biography

Ensign Christopher Benson served with Loyalists during the American Revolution.

Christopher Benson was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Undetermined
Date: Undated

Christopher Benson was born 6 June 1760 in Granville, Nova Scotia. He was the son of Christopher Benson and Mary Brewerton^[1].

During the American Revolution, he was a Loyalist officer, and served as an Ensign with the Nassau Blues.

Arrived at Granville, Nova Scotia, on August 27th, 1783. In his land grant petition he was identified as 1st Lt Christopher Benson, Jr.^[2][3]

He married Lucy Dunn on 24 Mar 1784, in Granville^[4].

Christopher was buried in Granville Centre on 20 Sep 1840^[5]

Note

See an online family tree for additional possible research leads and sources^[6].

There is conflicting information for Christopher's birth. Some say 1760 New York. A record of birth from Nova Scotia says 1761 in Granville Township, Annapolis, N.S., but Granville Township wasn't established until 1764, and it is clear that Christopher had served as a Loyalist officer in New York prior to arriving in Nova Scotia in 1783. Most likely the township entered all of the settlers in a birth book? (His parents also have Granville Township, Nova Scotia birth records, but were most certainly born in New York.)

Sources

1. ↑ "Nova Scotia Births and Baptisms, 1702-1896", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLGC-F2Q : 7 February 2020), Christopher Benson, 1761.
2. ↑ Memorial of Christopher Benson, naming Capt. Christopher Benson, 1st Lieut. Christopher Benson Jr., 2nd Lieut. William Benson: https://archives.novascotia.ca/land-papers/archives/?ID=717&Doc=memorial
3. ↑ Christopher Benson, Jr., 1st Lt, Refugee Co., 500 acres, 1787, Clements Township, in Marion Gilroy, Loyalists and Land Settlement in Nova scotia, Public Archives of Nova Scotia, Publication No.4, 1937, p.8
4. ↑ "Nova Scotia Marriages, 1711-1909", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL5H-PQG : 13 February 2020), Christopher Benson, 1784.
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images. Memorial page for Christopher Benson Jr. (6 Jun 1760–20 Sep 1840), Find a Grave Memorial no. 173757457, ; Maintained by Brian McConnell (contributor 48857516) Non-Cemetery Burial, who reports a Buried at Granville, Annapolis Co., NS.
6. ↑ FamilySearch online tree. Profile of Christopher Benson Jr. Accessed 2020.

• Christopher Benson, named in List of Loyalist Officers: https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/loyalist_militia_roll_of_officers.html